The Lintons healthcare clinical team was busy promoting Good Nutrition Month this past November. Themed-based activities or presentations were held weekly for staff and residents, highlighting a variety of techniques to incorporate good nutrition into daily living. Topics included mindful eating, handling cravings and stress eating, making the holidays healthy and how to keep active in colder weather. Throughout the month, there were opportunities to sample nutritious snacks, test their nutrition knowledge, take away informational handouts on various topics, and participate in a stretching activity that warmed the muscles and got the heart pumping and blood flowing. Here is what they learned:

“Mind What You Eat”

A Mind What You Eat presentation highlighted mindful eating which uses the ancient art of mindfulness, or being present, to help cope with modern eating problems. It’s not a diet, and there are no menus or food restrictions. Instead, it develops a new mindset around food. Mindful eating involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking. It helps us learn to hear what our body is telling us about hunger and satisfaction and can improve our overall health. Residents and those eating in our retail areas received a mindful-eating themed lunch while lecture participants sampled nutritious pumpkin hummus or pumpkin bread pudding. They also received a salad shaker to help them in their journey to good nutrition.

“Cravings Happen”

"Cravings Happen", but what do we do about them? Indulge or ignore? Display tables were set-up with handouts that provided guidance to those questions, including what your cravings mean. Samples of salt and sugar were showcased to represent the amounts we consume in some of our favorite snacks and beverages. To test their knowledge, participants had the opportunity to win a gift card to their local grocery store by completing a quiz on the two ingredients.

“Don’t Get Stressed Over Desserts”

"Don’t Get Stressed Over Desserts" was presented just in time for the holiday season. Did you know "desserts" spelled backwards is "stressed"? Participants learned how food and mood are related, what stressors are telling you, and how to best manage stress without regretful eating. They also learned how nutrients, like carbohydrates, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and B complex vitamins, have a positive impact on moods and how stressful side effects can have a direct impact on nutrition.

“Healthy Holidays to You”

The "Healthy Holidays to You" lecture concentrated on holiday eating survival tips. Be realistic, don’t skip meals, and eat until your satisfied are just a few of the tips discussed. Healthy tips for a healthy plate, how to make substitutions, and maneuvering through holiday parties were also provided. Recipe overhauls of our holiday staples proved you can decrease calories, fat, and sodium while maintaining its flavor. Participants sampled low-calorie drink options and a healthy makeover vegetable dip.